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Saturday, December 18, 2010

Sadly, this is the last time the Browns Bay Craft Show will be held, due to the greatly increased cost of hiring the hall. It also rained heavily for most of the day, which added to the 'despondant air' in the hall. It was sad that the show did not have a 'festive buzz', to finish the year on a high.

A rumour did start going around that the RSA hall across the road could be an alternative venue for next years shows - we will have to see if this happens. This aside, I need to continue looking for other sales venues and in the New Year, when I have made some more stock, I plan to set up a store on Etsy.com. I need to do a lot more research and reading over the Christmas break on selling on the internet.

Friday, December 17, 2010

I finished my two week contract last Friday so, in theory, had all this week for creating but various appointments and Christmas shopping seem to have reduced this down to about two days.

I have just finished making more HANGAs for the Browns Bay Craft Show tomorrow - this is my last event of this year. Unfortunately I did not enough time to try making some HANGAs with the photo transfer technique. I had taken some photos of Pohutukawa flowers which I thought would have made good 'festive' HANGAs - I will have to try this for next Christmas.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

This was my last Coatesville Market before Christmas. I now have a permanent indoor place in the hall, which is great, and using their table gives me plenty of room for display, as it is quite a bit longer than my own one.

As I took all my best HANGA designs to Craftworld, I felt the display I had here was a bit dull. I wonder if I would have sold more if I had had less of the plain coloured ones? I need to make some replacement stock for my last event before Christmas and must concentrate on making more with interesting surface designs.

Friday, November 26, 2010

This photo shows the mini display I have made for Craftworld. I took it there today and it looks good in the display cabinet. I will be interested to see how things go in the next few weeks before Christmas.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Here is a HANGA I have made with a new surface decoration technique. Tiny pieces of different coloured clay are placed randomly on a sheet of pearl clay and then it is rolled through the pasta machine several times. I love the abstract, painterly 'splodges' of colour.

This one has been made by cutting narrow strips from some clay, created as described above, after running it through the pasta machine several times. The strips were randomly placed on a sheet of pearl clay and then rolled through the pasta machine to create a flush surface. These light colours feel good for Summer (here in New Zealand), so I shall have fun making some more.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Today I went to Craftworld (www.craftworld.co.nz) at Westgate Shopping Centre, where I met with the Managing Director, Carl Dysthe. Carl approached me, after seeing my stall at Coatesville Market, with a proposition for getting some of my work in the store. He showed me the display cabinet he had mentioned, where I could set up a small display, as a trial, before committing to a rental booth.

I am keen to try this as a different selling venue for my HANGAs and feel the best time to do it is now, to catch the run up to Christmas. I made a commitment to go ahead with this and put a display in place before the end of the month - this means I am going to be very busy for the next couple of weeks!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

The HANGA made its first appearance at Coatesville Market today, and again was very successful. My stock is now quite low so I will have to get busy making more for the forecoming events I have planned before Christmas.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Today, was my last day as a full-time employee. It was sad to leave the great group of people I worked with but now such an exciting opportunity awaits. I have promised Colin (my husband) that I will have a week off with him before I set to work on my creative enterprises.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The debut of the HANGA brooch/pendant at Mission Bay, yesterday, was a very successful event. The weather was perfect for an outdoor event, attracting lots of people to visit and the whole place had a positive buzz. The only downside at the end of the day, was having the car towed home by the AA and wondering how much the repair bill would be - but at least it did not break down on the way!

The HANGA display attracted alot of interest and, in addition to sales, some very positive and useful feedback was gained. A number of people commented on the excellent display I had constructed, showing how the HANGA could be worn, and several others said I should register the name/idea to stop anyone else copying it. This is something that I had thought about previously and did quite a lot of research on. I had already completed an on-line application to register the name 'HANGA' as a Trade Mark but had not submitted it. For the last week or two I had been dithering as to whether or not I should but thought I would wait to see how the debut event went.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

I have been working all weekend in preparation for the launch of the HANGA at the Mission Bay Art and Craft Market on Labour Day (Monday 25 October). Not only have I been busy making the HANGAs, I have also been working on a new set up for their display. All is going well but I am very pushed for time to get everything finished as I would like. I can see that I will be working every night this week, after I get home my from my day job - still, I only have two more weeks in this job, once I have left I will have much more time available.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Be the first to see the HANGA brooch/pendant - a stylish and practical fashion accessory, designed to hang your reading glasses, sun glasses or identity badges on. With the versatile two-way fixing pin you can chose to wear it as a brooch or a pendant, to best suit your outfit. This unique design by Claire Fairweather is hand-crafted from polymer clay, here in New Zealand – no two are identical.

Claire has been designing contemporary art-brooches as a hobby, since settling in Auckland from the UK, in March 2009. The idea for the HANGA arose from talking to visitors at craft markets and her desire to make her art and craftwork functional. She says: “As a wearer of reading glasses myself, this is a useful and decorative accessory that I genuinely use, and with its multi-functions the HANGA makes a novel gift, when you are stuck for ideas for something to buy”.

A limited number from the first HANGA collection will be making a debut at the Mission Bay Art and Craft Market on Labour Day, Monday 25 October from 10.00am – 4.00pm. You will find Claire’s stand on Row 1. Thereafter, she will be at Coatesville Market on the first Sunday of each month.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Here are a couple of trial HANGAs, made just as brooches, as I am waiting for my 2 way brooch pin/bail findings to arrive. I am still working on perfecting the construction, particularly﻿ the way I finish the backs.

And another HANGA made from the black and white Klimt-style canes I made recently.

Friday, October 8, 2010

In order to try and understand how to predict the outcome when creating Klimt-style canes, I have recently been making some with just black and white clay and some with black, white and grey/silver.

Just using black and white discs of clay, here some of the same colours are placed next to each other and the ordering was done in a repeating pattern

The resulting Klimt-style cane made from the log of discs above

This cane was made with a random placing of black and white discs, rather than in a repeating pattern

This cane included grey and silver as well as black and white clay

﻿I have noticed that the first colour used when creating the log of different coloured discs, tends to predominate throughout the cane, so in future I will start with a light colour, as this last cane appears very grey.

Friday, September 24, 2010

According to the Flag Counter on this site, which I set going before the Sitemeter, I have now had over 1000 unique visitors. As I am not 'tech savvy' and have not really been publicising it yet, I am quite pleased. Once I have left work and can start making and promoting my Hanga brooch/pendant, I will have to devote more time to 'electronic promotion'.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

For some time I have been toying with the idea of designing brooches that you can hang your reading glasses from. In fact, also sun glasses, identity badges and anything else that my come to mind (maybe charms or ipod ear pieces?). My original idea was to incorporate a hanging ring into the brooch design but so far I have been unable to source any suitable solid metal (rather than plated) rings here in New Zealand. The only suitable ones I have found, from America, are not viable due to the excessive postage costs.

Keen to try out the idea, as feedback from initial discussions with several people has been very positive, I made my first prototype last month (around 15 August) purely from polymer clay. I have road tested it as a brooch, for both functionality and feedback, at the last few events that I have done. The comments have been encouraging and I have already had a couple of potential orders, so I intend to make some for this years Christmas markets. It seems quite strong and durable just being made from polymer clay – and most importantly, it works. I have used my only pair of reading glasses and they have not fallen off!

Several people have said that they do not wear brooches but would love one as a pendant, so I was considering making some of each. I want to have a wide range of colours and designs but it is inevitable that I will not have the right one available in the brooch or pendant form. Then I remembered having seen and managed to track down a 2 in 1 finding – it is a brooch pin with a bail soldered on. This means I only have to make one type. I have ordered some of these findings to try out (from Australia) and am keeping my fingers crossed that they arrive in time for me to complete the pieces I have started for the forthcoming markets.

I have spent the last few days trying to think of a name for this ‘brooch/pendant to hang your reading glasses, sun glasses or identity badge from’. Every name Colin and I came up with already existed, as some other object. The only name that did not, was the very first one I thought of – HANGA. I thought of this because it is a brooch/pendant on which you can ‘hang a’ pair of glasses, badge or other item. The name is short and catchy but not too tacky.

Also, co-incidentally, when I looked in the The Reed Dictionary of Modern Maori at work, 'hanga' can be translated as 'build, create, transform, make, compose, construct, generate, shape'. I may need to seek further clarification of this but it is better than 'hango' which is 'shovel'. Whilst an appropriate Maori translation is not essential, as I am making these in New Zealand, an affinity would be good. [I will post some more definitions of 'hanga', when I have completed my research].

So it looks like the Hanga Brooch/Pendant will be the name for my latest creation.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

This weekend has been spent unpacking from last weekend. I also bought a large cupboard to help store some of my rapidly growing array of polymer clay tools, accessories and stock. After spending most of Saturday evening putting the cupboard together, a good part of Sunday was spent sorting, tidying and re-organising, as I put things away. I have not finished, as it is taking a lot longer than I thought, and I still have not been through my existing four drawer unit, which is bursting at the seams. I want to get everything properly organised for the beginning of November, when I start my new new life as proper polymer clay artist/designer.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

On Saturday I did the Browns Bay Craft Show for the first time (I really thought I should show my work at this event as I am now a Browns Bay resident) and on Sunday I did Coatesville Market, being very lucky to get an indoor spot, in fact it was in the entrance hall where I was last time.

Browns Bay Craft Show

I am not sure what to make of my sales statistics, as I took exactly the same amount of money at each event (+ or - $1); on Saturday I sold twenty four pieces (nearly all low cost items – I actually sold out of my experimental brooches) and on Sunday I sold four pieces (higher value). I would prefer to concentrate on fewer, one-off value pieces but I do not think that ‘markets’ are the right type of sales venue. Once I have left my job, I will have the opportunity to try approaching some galleries and gift/boutique shops, as alternative outlets.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

I do not normally write about personal things on this blog but this does have a direct bearing on my creative ventures. Yesterday, I handed in my notice to leave my current full-time job. I have given two months notice, instead of the one that is required, so as of 1st November, I will be free to seriously work on developing my craft ambitions.

I am really keen to try teaching some ‘Introduction to Polymer Clay Workshops’. I have been doing a lot of written preparation but once I have the time, I need to make a lot of sample pieces, showing a broad range of things that can be made with polymer clay (not just brooches), and some visual teaching aids.

Recently I have been concentrating more on the lower cost brooches so, when I have the time, I want to develop a larger collection of my higher end Art-Brooches, and investigate other outlets for these.

I have also been approached by Dunkleys Craft Shows to exhibit with them, which I would really like to do, starting with their North Shore event next year. This will require a lot of stock and preparation but I think it could be an ideal place to advertise my workshops, by demonstrating and encouraging people to sign up.

So, this major life change is a very exciting and fantastic opportunity, thanks to my very understanding husband, Colin. I just cannot wait!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

August has been a very interesting and varied month, starting with my first time at Coatesville Market, right at the beginning of the month. Since then I have been working on various ideas and still trying out new techniques. I have got totally addicted to creating Klimt style canes and have been concentrating more on making lower cost items, for the markets and events that will be leading up to Christmas.

It may have been fortunate that I did not have time to finish the construction of all my new display screens, last month, because I may need to change my table set-up again, as a result of future developments. There will be a major life change for me in a couple of months time – see the next post.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Here are my first six finished Klimt style brooches. To see individual photos of each brooch, go to the 'Sample Brooches' tab on www.art-brooches.co.nz. The middle brooch on the bottom row is a prototype, designed to hang reading glasses from.

I have also been busy making lots of Mini Pins and Stick Pins for my forthcoming events. Several people asked if I made stick pins, when I was at Coatesville Market, so I thought I would try them out.

Mini Pins

Stick Pins

This coming weekend is going to be a busy one, with Browns Bay Craft Show on Saturday 4th and Coatesville Market on Sunday 5th September (luckily, I have now managed to get a covered spot for this one).

Sunday, August 15, 2010

I have got totally addicted to making these Klimt style canes. Above is a sheet created from several slices from one of the canes, rolled onto a thin sheet of polymer clay. The squares have distorted slightly, as I have not rolled evenly in all directions but I think this looks more interesting than if they were exactly straight. The photo below shows the beginnings of some brooches that I am making with slices from the canes I made earlier in the week.

Klimt style brooches in progress

I have started to make cabochons with the off-cuts that are big enough. I intend to source some tie-tack pins and stick pins that I can attach to these cabochons, so I have some much smaller items to sell at my next event.

Cabochons

I wondered if this technique would work with circles as well as squares - and it does. Unfortunately, I reshaped my circular pieces before I took a photo. Here are a couple more of photos of miscellaneous bits.

Skinner Blend and bits of canes

Experimenting with cane reduction and re-shaping

I have also been working on a couple of brooch designs, starting with imprints from some rubber stamps I bought from Montarga. The colour is just Pearl-Ex powders and I draped the stamped clay over some rolled up baking parchment, to give them some dimension, before baking. I was going to try out the idea of incorporating a metal loop into the design, for hanging reading glasses on, but these look so delicate that I am not sure whether to do this now.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Yesterday evening I decided to try this technique from Donna Kato’s book ‘The Art of Polymer Clay Millefiori Techniques’, with all the little balls of left over colours from my previous colour mixing exercise. The above photo shows four different canes that I made yesterday and tonight. I am so hooked, I cannot stop! It is so fascinating, as you just do not know how the cross-sections are going to turn out from the pieces that go into the extruder gun. I cannot wait to make some brooches with slices from these canes.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

This weekend gone, I started on a colour mixing exercise, which I thought would be a useful visual aid not only for my own use but if I do any teaching/workshops in the future. I did not realise how long it was going to take.

I am quite familiar with the concepts of colour theory from many years of painting, however I have read that it is different with polymer clay. Using Magenta, Lemon Yellow and Turquoise as my primary colours (as they are meant to create purer colours with polymer clay, than the traditional red, yellow and blue in paints), I mixed equal proportions to make the secondary and tertiary colours, resulting in the twelve standard colours on a Colour Wheel. I cut a square from each of the twelve colours as my starting point and when baked, laid them out as a central column.

To the left I made squares mixing white with each of the colours in turn, in the following proportions: 25% white + 75% colour, 50% white + 50% colour, 75% white + 25% colour and also 87.5% white + 12.5% colour. To the right, I made squares mixing black with each of the colours in turn, in the following proportions: 25% black + 75% colour, 50% black + 50% colour, 75% black + 25% colour and also 87.5% black + 12.5% colour.

Here is a photo of the finished results. It shows quite clearly (as I read after I had started this exercise) that you do not need to add as much black to change a colour as you do white. There is nothing like learning the hard way!

I had planned to repeat this exercise, using the more traditional red, yellow and blue primary colours, to compare the difference and also to show the variations you get when adding brown or grey and pearl or translucent clay to the twelve colours. I will do this at some stage but as it takes so long to mix all the samples, cut and bake and uses up quite a lot of clay, it will have to be resumed at a later date.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

I have really been looking forward to today, my first time exhibiting at Coatesville Market. My spot was just inside the main entrance door, which was good, as everyone saw it as they came in – and thankfully I was inside, under cover, as it did rain!

Taking into account the weather and that it was my first time, I am quite pleased with how it went, although it was mostly the lower priced brooches that were being bought. I received some good feedback and am feeling positive for the next one, if I can get a few of my other ideas into action by then.

I told quite a lot of people who asked that I would be there every month, as I thought I had secured a regular place there, so I was a bit dismayed when I checked with the organizer – and was told that it was all booked up and it would depend if there was a cancellation (which is why I got the spot this month). I will have to keep ringing and hope I am lucky.

As a back-up, I will book to do the Browns Bay Craft Show, which is on Saturday 4th September. If I do get a spot at the next Coatesville Market, on Sunday 5th September, it will mean a double weekend! Great for me but a bit unfair for Colin – hopefully he will understand.

Saturday, July 31, 2010

The main focus of this month has been to get stock ready for my first time at Coatesville Market, which means I have not created many new Art-Brooch designs on canvases. I have tried to finish off pieces that had previously been started, especially making some of my experimental pieces into brooches and also trying out the idea of making sample brooches – both of these will be lower cost items for my stand.

Trial set-up of table display

I have also been working on a new set-up for my table. Unfortunately, I ran out of time, so I only have three screens (instead of five) as shown in the photograph above. It looks over-crowded to me but when I get the other two screens, I can space things out more. I have designed the screens to join together with Velcro strips but I am not sure how secure this will be in practice. At least I can try it out tomorrow and then reconsider the fixing method, if necessary, before adding the other two screens.

Friday, July 30, 2010

The last two weeks have been spent completing pieces for Coatesville Market. Here are my latest Art-Brooches on canvases.

Silver Flowers

Golden Mask

Un-titled

I am not sure about the one which is un-titled. I like the idea of the golden rods cutting across the square but I think they would be better made from metal (maybe metal clay, which I have not tried - yet?). I have had to make them quite thick, so that the polymer clay is strong enough, but this has lost the delicacy.

The eight designs from one shape have now become nine, as I discovered another one. I am pleased with how they have turned out although I think I will need to use two different sizes of the curved triangular shape, as some have ended up quite small, if I make some more. These sample brooches (see post dated Thursday 15 July 2010) will be sold with a small organza gift pouch.

Sample brooches - nine designs from one shape

More sample brooches

Here are a few more experimental brooches that were not photographed before.

I seem to have accumulated quite a stock of polymer clay brooches and I still have some of my earlier ones, made from Friendly Plastic, as a back-up if I run low.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

I now possess three of Donna's books and greatly admire her skill and perfectionism in the execution of her work. The book on 'millefiori techniques' and the earlier one I got on 'creative surface effects' have greatly inspired me and have set a benchmark for the standard I aspire to reach.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

I had a mega session on Saturday, creating the new designs I sketched out the other day. I decided to make one of each of the eight designs, using the same coloured 'focal' piece for them all. For this I made a sheet of mokume gane, using purple, turquoise, green, pearl and translucent polymer clay and some silver metal leaf. I was really pleased with the way the mokume gane turned out and it was great fun to make.

These are just the faces of the brooches, they will need the backs finishing - and judging by the results of my voting poll so far, I will be using locking pins. As I have made these brooches smaller, I will need to get some smaller pin fastenings (I have a new recommended source from America) but hopefully I will be able to get these completed to take to Coatesville. Although they are more fiddly to make smaller, the brooches look more delicate - and I think more 'valuable'.

Today I decided I had really better concentrate on getting my new screens and certain important things finished for the Coatsville Market. I have also started to paint a few more canvases for a few of my 'in progress' brooches, such as the one below which I think will be called 'Golden Mask'.

I recently bought some templates and included in the pack were four rubber stamps. I wanted to try out this one of the face. It is not the sort of thing I would normally buy (in fact I want to design my own rubber stamps) but I think it looks quite effective. I stamped it on to some striped polymer clay that I had left and layered it over gold metal leaf and gold Premo Sculpey.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

While the voting poll is still running (see previous post) I thought I would show how I am currently attaching the pins to the back of my brooches.

I make and bake the front of the brooch first. Then I add a layer to the back of the brooch. Before baking, I cut out the shape around the fastening pin, so that it fits neatly into the recess. I bake the brooch again with the pin in place. When it has cooled, I pull out the pin and then glue it back in place with a two-part epoxy glue.

Having tried various methods, this is my preferred option for a really neat finish. I think gluing the pin into the recess gives a stronger finish than just gluing onto the surface of the brooch.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

I have been wearing the 'sample brooch', pictured in the previous post, quite a lot lately and was really disppointed when I lost it. The brooch came off my clothing last weekend, when I was visiting the Dunkleys Craft Show in Tauranga. Luckily someone handed it in so, hopefully, I will eventually get it back. This was partly my fault, as I was wearing it on my left side which is the same side as I carry my shoulder bag. It has however lead me to reconsider the type of fastening pin I should use on my brooches.

I currently have three different types. When I first started making brooches (from Friendly Plastic), I used the standard type of locking pin. I found these rather fiddly, particularly when trying to fasten on clothing that you are wearing. They also seem quite thin and I am not sure how much use they will tolerate (the very first one I used broke, so maybe this is why I am rather cautious).

Since making my brooches from polymer clay, I have been using a different type of brooch fastening pin, which does not have a locking mechanism, the pin just tucks under a curved metal shield. This style is quite neat and easier to use. I have been quite happy with it until last weekend, when I lost the brooch. Now I am thinking of going back to using a locking mechanism type of brooch fastener.

I also have some heavy duty brooch fasteners, with a locking mechanism, which I have never used. They look really well made, very durable and the actual turning part of the locking mechanism is not as fiddly as the cheaper ones. The only problem is that the actual pin is of a much thick diameter. It would be alright on a coat or loose-knit material but would make quite large holes on fine fabrics such as a blouse.

If I make brooches to order, the client can choose their preferred type of fastener but for ready made brooches, I need to make a decision. I really do not know which way to go with this issue - and I need to make a decison before I make any more. Please let me know what you think by voting, see top of right hand column.

This was my first 'sample' brooch, made a little while ago. It incorporates my first cabochon made with the Cabezel Jewellery Mould, rolled silver metal leaf on polymer clay and plain polymer clay. I want to make some more of these brooches, using samples of the different surface and decorative techniques I practice, as I learn. I will sell these brooches on their own (without being mounted on a canvas) as a lower cost item because they will essentially be made from my off-cuts and trial pieces.

Thinking it would be a good idea to try and make some more of these in time for the Coatesville Market, I recently started on this task. Although I used quite different colours and textures, I felt that I needed to work on some other simple designs for variety.

Yesterday, I did some creative doodling. Using the same curved triagular shape, I managed to come up with eight different designs - and most of these can be flipped the other way for even more variety.

I think I should keep the original little cardboard template, that I used to create that first 'sample brooch', as it may become part of my 'signature series'. Normally I would spend ages designing a template shape, measuring angles, lengths, etc but as that first brooch was really an experiment, I just quickly sketched out the shape that came out of my head. It seems to work and I like it, so I will stick with it - spontaneous creativity is probably better than it being over-designed.

Monday, July 12, 2010

You may have noticed that the 'Art-Brooch Gallery' tab that used to be along the top on this site has disappeared. This is because I have now created a new website, purely for my finished Art-Brooches. You can view it here.

Monday, July 5, 2010

I am thrilled to have secured a spot at the next Coatesville Market, on Sunday 1 August. I am hoping this will become a regular sales venue for me - the market is held on the first Sunday of each month.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

I have not had any time this weekend for making but I have been busy. Saturday afternoon I did the Designers 'n ' Artists Market at Mt Albert, Auckland, selling off my old Friendly Plastic brooches.

DNA Market

On Sunday morning, I visited Coatsville Market again, with some samples of my polymer clay Art-Brooches in my bag. This time the organiser was there, so I was able to show her my work and ask to be considered for an indoor space, on a regular basis. I need to ring her one evening, to discuss this further.

Then on Sunday afternoon I visited the NZ Jewellery Show. I was interested to see what contemporary brooches were being made by other jewellery designers and whether this event would be suitable for my Art-Brooches. As I expected, my brooches on their canvases would be too large for the jewellery cases but it was an interesting show to visit. Also, by complete surprise, I managed to meet with Susan Smith - an Auckland jeweller who uses polymer clay.

Friday, July 2, 2010

The above photograph of my panel, at the exhibtion was taken on a mobile phone, as I forgot to take my proper camera. I am exhibiting one large painting and eight Art-Brooches, all selected because they relate to the theme 'Emerge'.

I am very pleased to have sold three of my Art-Brooches at the opening night. I am also glad that the brooch I donated to the charity auction was sold, as many of the auction items did not sell. The auctioneer gave me some great publicity for my Art-Brooches. All in all it was a very enjoyable and successful evening.